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ASO: Wanted man takes shots at cousin over birthday party slight

By Maru I. OpabolaStaff writer

Published: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 12:18 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 12:18 p.m.

A 33-year-old Gainesville man with previous felony convictions, who had a warrant out for his arrest, is back in jail after sheriff's deputies said he took four shots at his cousin Tuesday in revenge for not being invited to a birthday party for children.

Alachua County sheriff's deputies responded to a 911 call by Loria Blair reporting that Birnard Larkin Jr. was threatening to shoot her 31-year-old son and chasing him around the neighborhood in the 300 block of 257th Street in Newberry, according to a Sheriff's Office report.

Deputies learned that Larkin had called Blair around 7 a.m., demanding to know why he had not been invited to the party, which had been held the day before at her home for several 1- and 2-year-olds.

Blair explained she did not invite him because she knew there was a felony warrant out for his arrest and she didn't want law enforcement coming to her home during the party. To this, she told deputies, Larkin responded with profanity-laced threats against her son. He also asked for a plate of food from the party.

In an attempt to appease him, Blair's son prepared a plate of hot dogs and cake and rode his bike to deliver it to where Larkin was residing.

Larkin was waiting outside for him and shoved him off his bike onto railroad tracks, deputies said. According to the report, Larkin then pulled out a black revolver from his waistband and stated, "(Expletive) you and your mama, I should kill" you.

Then he is accused firing two shots at the victim's head.

The victim was able to flee, dragging his bike back to his mother's home, deputies said. Deputies say Larkin then called the home again and told Blair he was not going to kill her because she is a woman, but he was going to kill her son.

Blair told her son to flee to his grandmother's house near the 300 block of 252nd Street. Instead, he rode the bike to a nearby barbecue restaurant located next door to his girlfriend's home, where he waited for her to come outside and drive him out of the area to Gainesville.

While waiting, he heard footsteps coming up behind him and turned around to see Larkin 15 feet away and pointing the same black revolver at him, deputies said. The victim took off running and ducking for cover as Larkin fired two shot at him, according to the report.

The victim told deputies that as he ran, he heard Larkin shout: "I got one more shot left." He turned and saw Larkin wrapping the gun in a white washcloth and tucking it into his waist.

Deputies later recovered a black revolver wrapped in a white cloth from under a porch near the location of the second episode of gunfire. The victim identified it as the one used in the shooting. It had four spent .38 special casings and one live round remaining, deputies said.

Larkin was later found in Jonesville, although it is unclear what led deputies to the address.

Authorities took Larkin into custody on charges of attempted first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Larkin was also booked into the Alachua County jail on the felony warrant for domestic battery on a pregnant woman, stemming from a June 9 attack on his sister, who was six months' pregnant at the time.

<p>A 33-year-old Gainesville man with previous felony convictions, who had a warrant out for his arrest, is back in jail after sheriff's deputies said he took four shots at his cousin Tuesday in revenge for not being invited to a birthday party for children.</p><p>Alachua County sheriff's deputies responded to a 911 call by Loria Blair reporting that Birnard Larkin Jr. was threatening to shoot her 31-year-old son and chasing him around the neighborhood in the 300 block of 257th Street in Newberry, according to a Sheriff's Office report.</p><p>Deputies learned that Larkin had called Blair around 7 a.m., demanding to know why he had not been invited to the party, which had been held the day before at her home for several 1- and 2-year-olds.</p><p>Blair explained she did not invite him because she knew there was a felony warrant out for his arrest and she didn't want law enforcement coming to her home during the party. To this, she told deputies, Larkin responded with profanity-laced threats against her son. He also asked for a plate of food from the party.</p><p>In an attempt to appease him, Blair's son prepared a plate of hot dogs and cake and rode his bike to deliver it to where Larkin was residing.</p><p>Larkin was waiting outside for him and shoved him off his bike onto railroad tracks, deputies said. According to the report, Larkin then pulled out a black revolver from his waistband and stated, "(Expletive) you and your mama, I should kill" you.</p><p>Then he is accused firing two shots at the victim's head.</p><p>The victim was able to flee, dragging his bike back to his mother's home, deputies said. Deputies say Larkin then called the home again and told Blair he was not going to kill her because she is a woman, but he was going to kill her son.</p><p>Blair told her son to flee to his grandmother's house near the 300 block of 252nd Street. Instead, he rode the bike to a nearby barbecue restaurant located next door to his girlfriend's home, where he waited for her to come outside and drive him out of the area to Gainesville.</p><p>While waiting, he heard footsteps coming up behind him and turned around to see Larkin 15 feet away and pointing the same black revolver at him, deputies said. The victim took off running and ducking for cover as Larkin fired two shot at him, according to the report.</p><p>The victim told deputies that as he ran, he heard Larkin shout: "I got one more shot left." He turned and saw Larkin wrapping the gun in a white washcloth and tucking it into his waist.</p><p>Deputies later recovered a black revolver wrapped in a white cloth from under a porch near the location of the second episode of gunfire. The victim identified it as the one used in the shooting. It had four spent .38 special casings and one live round remaining, deputies said.</p><p>Larkin was later found in Jonesville, although it is unclear what led deputies to the address.</p><p>Authorities took Larkin into custody on charges of attempted first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Larkin was also booked into the Alachua County jail on the felony warrant for domestic battery on a pregnant woman, stemming from a June 9 attack on his sister, who was six months' pregnant at the time.</p><p>He was being held on Wednesday on $100,000 bond.</p>